As winter settles in, there’s no better way to warm up than with a comforting bowl of soup. Whether you’re craving a classic chicken noodle, a creamy bisque or something a little more adventurous, the right cookbook can be your secret ingredient to success.
Not sure what soup you’re in the mood for? No need to stew on it! We’ve whipped up a few of our favorite soup cookbook recommendations that are sure to fill your kitchen with delicious aromas and your bowl with hearty flavors. So, grab your ladle, flip through these pages and get ready for a soup-er winter season!
“Soup of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year” by Kate McMillan
Williams-Sonoma “Soup of the Day” offers a tantalizing collection of 365 soup recipes: one for each day of the year. Colorful calendars at the beginning of each chapter offer an at-a-glance view of the dishes best suited for the ingredients, occasions and typical weather of the month. From January to December, you’ll find a seasonal soup that will satisfy any craving and match any meal, ranging from a quick weeknight supper to an elegant dinner party. Notes accompanying each recipe offer ideas for ingredient variations, garnishes, and other helpful tips. The possibilities are endless but always delicious.
“Slow Cooker Soups: A Cookbook of Comforting Recipes You Can Prep and Forget” by Pamela Ellgen
Good cooking doesn’t always require tons of gadgets or exotic ingredients; sometimes the most comforting meal of all is a steaming bowl of homemade soup. This soup cookbook combines the coziness of a cup of soup with the hands-off convenience of a slow cooker, brimming with wholesome recipes that can simmer all day and be ready to welcome you home. This cookbook covers the ins and outs of making soup, complete with kitchen essentials, storing and reheating tips, and troubleshooting for soups gone wrong.
“The Soup Club Cookbook” by Courtney Allison
Who doesn’t want a delicious, home-cooked meal to appear magically at their doorstep on a chilly evening? But work, kids and life get in the way, even in the most well-intentioned homes. In “The Soup Club Cookbook” four New York moms show how to make this fantasy a reality with 150 recipes for soups, from favorites to fancy, and dozens of filling and delish sides, such as Soy Simmered Chicken Wings and Pickled Brussels Sprouts. They even include inspiration to start your own soup club as they did: each person makes soup once a month and delivers it to the other women!
“Love Soup: 160 All-new Vegetarian Recipes” by Anna Thomas
Anna Thomas’s vegetarian cookbook is filled with wonderfully creative recipes that make use of fresh, seasonal produce—try black bean and squash soup in the fall, smoky eggplant soup in midsummer, a perfumed wild mushroom soup for Christmas or a rib-sticking chowder. Each recipe has room for variation, and nearly all are vegan-friendly. “Love Soup” also provides recipes for breads, hummus, pesto, salads and homey desserts—and simple menus that put soup at the heart of the meal. Throughout, Thomas offers expert advice on shopping, seasoning, tasting and becoming a cook.
“The Ultimate Soup Cookbook” by Dru Melton
“The Ultimate Soup Cookbook” brings comfort food to your kitchen with over 125 delicious soup recipes for every occasion! Impress guests and large parties with tasty and simple recipes. Have a cozy dish ready for when you or your loved ones are feeling under the weather. Prepare the perfect broths for any soup you make. With delectable recipes, easy-to-follow cooking instructions and full color photos, you’ll soon be making five-star meals.
“Every Season is Soup Season” by Shelly Westernhausen Worcel
Every day is a good day for soup! From broths and gazpachos to chowders and chilis, this flexible cookbook is overflowing with scrumptious soups for every season. These simple base recipes for healthy, yummy soups are easy to prepare and so satisfying. And the best part? You can riff on them endlessly with toppings and fixings—add mini meatballs, grilled cheese croutons or a handful of grains. Or transform yesterday’s soup into an entirely new dish: Carrot-Orange-Ginger Soup becomes a savory breakfast oatmeal or leftover Tomato-Watermelon Gazpacho makes a pitcher of Bloody Marias! Soup lovers, healthy eaters, busy parents and professionals will love these veggie-forward recipes that never get old and make weeknight cooking a breeze.
Ashlee Conour is the marketing specialist at Naperville Public Library.
